Archive photo: Pope Francis celebrates Vespers with other Christian leaders at the conclusion of the 2020 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (ANSA)
By Vatican News staff writer
Jan 18 2021
Pope Francis introduces the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by encouraging the faithful to pray that Jesus’ desire for the unity of all might be accomplished
After the recitation of the Angelus prayer on Sunday, Pope Francis noted that “tomorrow is an important day” (Jan 18), as it opens the week of prayer for Christian unity.
Pope Francis explained that this year the theme highlights “Jesus’ request that we abide in His love so that we might bear much fruit”. He went on to note that the week will conclude on 25 January with the celebration of Vespers in the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside-the-Walls in Rome, “together with the representative of the other Churches and Christian communities in Rome”.
In these days, concluded the Pope “let us pray together so that Jesus’ desire might be accomplished – that all might be one: unity, which is always higher that conflict”.
You can find more information about the 2021 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on the website of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian unity.
Dialogue between Catholics and Jews
Pope Francis also noted that, in Italy, the “XXXII Day for Deepening and Developing the Dialogue between Catholics and our Jewish Brothers and Sisters” is being observed.
The Pope expressed his hope that this process, that has been going on for over 30 years, “might bear fruits of fraternity and collaboration”. – Vatican News
